Pretty Simple

Found something I wrote about back in the Spring of 2012 and I still find it to be true...

I am learning more about myself in my 40's than I knew about myself the last twenty some years!

I am realizing that I am pretty simple! I don't need fancy clothes or fancy food or fancy cars or fancy houses. I am rather content in jeans and a t-shirt and comfy shoes! I don't wear a lot of make-up; I don't get my nails done often and I am okay with that!

I find great joy and contentment being with my family and friends. Just hanging out; playing games etc. I like good books; I love going out to lunch with a friend.

I like Saturday & Sunday mornings enjoying a cup of coffee with my husband. (one of my favorite things)

I spent  a lot of my twenties and thirties trying to be someone I thought people expected me to be. I spent many days doing what I didn't want to do or even like to do for that matter. All for the sake of trying to be "nice." 

I gauged how I was doing as a Mom by comparing myself to others. I was very hard on myself if I didn't have my dinner menus planned out or a chore chart of what to be accomplished.

Looking back I realize most of my stress and disappointment I put on myself. There were lies I believed. 

I see now that the enemy of our soul wants to continually keep us in a place where we don't feel worthy. We believe his lies that we are not "good enough; thin enought; organized enough etc."

Wow! I am 49 and am just now realizing that The Lord loves me just as I am! He gave me desires different than someone else's desires.

Lately in my devotional reading I am learning "It's all about the heart." Jesus most of all wants me to love Him with and from my "whole" heart! Not half, not partial ~ all of it! Completely!

The more that I read God's word I believe that it's the condition of our heart that The Lord is concerned with the most!

Oh my goodness!

Two weeks from tomorrow...

I think this is the fastest Christmas has ever come for me! I mean if I even wanted to attempt all of those adorable, darling crafts and inspirations on Pinterest I would have to start in July!

Learning though... Learning that Christmas does not have to be perfect! Learning that Christmas in our home may not be like what Christmas is in other peoples' homes and that's okay.

Learning that I can say "yes" to things I want to do and I can say "no" to those things I really don't want to do. I don't have to perform to please somebody else. I can be happy being me. I can bake or choose not to bake, I can send Christmas cards or not send Christmas cards. 

Looking back at Christmas's in the past, I wish I would have enjoyed the moment more! Not worried about attending every program. Being okay with enjoying my own living room, looking at my own tree and being with my own family.

I see a lot of people doing what they have always done...and never stopping to ask themselves why they do what they do. Are they performing for someone else's acceptance or approval! If they are they will always be living for someone else and for someone else's expectations.

May we all take a moment to reflect on what we are doing and where we are going and why?

A wonderful season...

We enjoyed a wonderful Christmas & New Years...2012

Never too old for stockings...

Enjoyed having our nephews Brodie & Harley up...

All the Grand-kids together...

Sis & I

Christmas with the Silva's...

My nephew Brodie made this for me...

A Wonderful look at our son Chase's wedding...

We enjoyed the wonderful event of our son Chase getting married to our amazing
daughter~in~law Holly!
October 19th, 2012

 

A day I will always remember...


Such an amazing day celebrating with friends and family

Happy 20th Birthday to my son Landon...January 2nd, 2013

Happy 20th Birthday to my son Landon!

I remember January 2, 1993 so well! Dad was watching football and I kept saying "uh I think we need to go to the hospital now." He would say "just one more play." lol!

Your 19th year was full to say the least! So many firsts including you moving out and down to Southern Ca and you being in your brother's wedding and becoming a brother-in-law!  We are so proud of you! We are excited about what God has in store for your 20th year!


Always keep Christ at the center of what you set out to do!

We love you bigger than the sky!

Choose Joy...

http://gitzengirl.blogspot.com/

Happy 21st Birthday to my Son Chase...

On April 23rd, 1991 ...my life was forever changed! What an exciting adventure these twenty one years have been. It's a joy seeing you following your dreams and being so passionate about life!

Chase the way you live your daily life really does magnify the Lord.

Chase I am so proud of you! I am so blessed to be your Mom!

May this 21st year be the best yet!

Love you Bigger than the Sky!

Mom

It's a Special Day...February 2, 2012

Iola & Frank Morris

with baby Wanda Jean 1943

Happy Birthday to my Sweet Mom...

Thinking about what a gift you are to me and so many others!

May you feel the love and thoughts of many today. 

Enjoy your day!

You are Special today and everyday!

Love it when you come to visit...

One of our favorite things to do: Enjoy going to tea houses...

You have such a beautiful Smile...

I love you Bigger than the Sky!

Love,

Shelley

Kaylee turns "22"

My niece Kaylee turns 22 today! It feels like it was just yesterday when my Sis would bring Kaylee to meet me for lunch when I worked at UC Irvine. Kaylee is all girl! Loves accessories! Loves to plan her outfits! Loves to  get manicures and pedicures! Loves to have things to look forward to! 

Kaylee is just a few months old here...wearing an outfit I got her!

Enjoying my lunch hour with her at the UC Irvine Arboretum 

Kaylee and I all dressed up at a friend's wedding...

Kaylee's Beautiful Wedding Day!

(all grown up)

Happy Birthday Kaylee!

May this 22nd year be blessed with God's promises and plans He has for you. I am so excited to see what is in store for this year. May you continue to fall in love with Jesus more and more each day! 

We love you Bigger than the Sky!

Love,

Aunt Sis

My little place of my own...

Oh so nice to have a place of my own...a place where I can dream and imagine! A place where I can pray for others and believe for answers. A place that says, "Shelley" all over it! We need places like this in our mind and in our heart. Where in the middle of chaos and noise we can close our eyes and picture Jesus sitting next to us. Where we can be quiet and still and Know that He is God!

On one of my little daily flip calendars it says, "Security is not the absence of danger, it is the presence of God." Wow isn't that true? Anywhere the presence of God is we can feel safe. Knowing He is right there with us!

So thankful for the Hope we have in Jesus! Thankful that he created us to dream and imagine all the things he would have us to be and do in this life! We are the ones who place limits on ourselves not Him.

Oh how I love how He knows me so well! He created me to worship Him! I see God in the details of life. In flowers, in landscape, in the sky, in situations that sometimes seem to hard for me, in people that have touched my life in one way or another, in music, in quiet places and times and in the loud places too!

Take time to imagine your happy place! Dwell with Him there! Invite Him into all the dreams you have! He desires them for you too!

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10 NIV

Landon turns "19" tomorrow on January 2nd...

 

Thinking about this weekend nineteen years ago...Larry was watching football, Chase was playing with his toys. I was having contractions...they were getting closer and closer. In the meantime I am telling Larry I think we should go to the hospital. He kept saying one more play, one more play. As in he was watching a football game lol! Sure enought we arrived to Kaiser in Anaheim Hills, CA with 20 minutes to spare. Our dear friends The Price family met up with us in the parking lot and got Chase from us so he could stay with them while I was having Landon! We are so proud of Landon. It has been an awesome nineteen years. He was born on a Saturday! Now that I think of it, of course he was. He loves the weekends! So thankful he loves the Lord with all of his heart and knows how to enjoy life!